Washing machine system or the like



J- B. JAKSHA April 9, 1968 WASHING MACHINE SYSTEM OR THE LIKE 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 28, 1965 0 I'IO ON U8 an mm mm LY m mm. Jll -wQ J. B. JAKSHA A ril 9, 1968 WASHING MACHINE SYSTEM OR THE LIKE 2Sheets-Sheet Filed May 28, 1965 N OI mmzE

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ZOEHWEQO United States Patent ()fiice 3,376,719 Patented Apr. 9, 19683,376,719 WASHING MACHINE SYSTEM OR THE LIKE John B. Jaksha, Anaheim,Calif., assignor to Rohertshaw Controls Company, Richmond, Va., acorporation of Delaware Filed May 28, 1965, Ser. No. 459,729 12 Claims.(Cl. 68-12) This invention relates to an improved system for controllingthe operation of a domestic washing machine or the like.

In particular, it is well known that various washing machines areprovided with a single electrical motor which, when its output shaft isrotated in one direction, operates the agitator of the washing machineand, when its output shaft is rotated in the opposite direction, spinsthe washing compartment of the washing machine.

According to the teachings of this invention, improved pneumatic controlmeans are provided for controlling the operation of such a motor meansor the like.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvedwashing machine system having one or more of the novel features setforth above or hereinafter shown or described.

'Other objects, uses and advantages of this invention are apparent froma reading of this description, which proceeds with reference to theaccompanying drawings forming a part thereof and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic view illustrating the improved control system ofthis invention.

FIGURE 2 is a flow diagram illustrating the sequence of operation of thesystem illustrated in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged, fragmenary, cross-sectional view illustratingthe main program member of FIGURE 1.

While the various features of this invention are hereinafter describedand illustrated as being particularly adaptable for providing a controlsystem for a domestic washing machine or the like, it is to beunderstood that the various features of this invention can be utilizedsingly or in any combination thereof to provide a control system forother devices as desired. Therefore, this invention is not to be limitedto only the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, because the drawingsare vmerely utilized to illustrate one of the wide variety of uses ofthis invention.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, the improved control system of this inventionis generally indicated by the reference numeral 16 and includes anelectrical motor 11 having an output shaft 12 which, when rotated in onedirection, will, through suitable transmission means, operate theagitator of the washing machine 10 and, when rotated in the oppositedirection, will, through suitable transmission means, spin the washingcompartment of the washing machine 10.

The motor 11 has a running winding 13 and a starting winding 14, therunning winding 13 having one side 15 thereof interconnected to acontact 16 by a lead 17 and the other side 18 thereof interconnected topower lead L by a lead 19. The starting winding 14 has one side 20thereof interconnected to a contact 21 by a lead 22 and the other side22 thereof interconnected to a contact 23 by a lead 24, the lead 24having a capacitor 25' therein, as well as a centrifugal switch whichopens under a predetermined speed of rotation of the output shaft 12.

A first electrical switch 26 is provided and has three switch blades 27,28, and 29 interconnected together by means 30, the blade 27 beinghinged at contact 23 to bridge the contact 23 with a Contact 31, theswitch blade 28 being hinged at the contact 21 and being adapted tobridge the contact 21 with a contact 32, and the switch blade 29 beinghinged at a contact 33 and being adapted to bridge the contact 33 with acontact 34.

The means 30 of the electric switch 26 is interconnected to a pneumaticactuator 35, which, when receiving atmospheric conditions in the chamberthereof, holds the switch blades 27, 28, and 29, in the positionillustrated in FIG- URE 1. However, when the chamber of the actuator isevacuated by being interconnected to a vacuum source or the like in amanner hereinafter described, the actuator 35 pulls the blade 27 tobridge the contact 23 with the contact 32 and pulls the switch blades 28and 29 so that the same bridge the contacts 21 and 33 with a contact 36for a purpose hereinafter described.

The contact 31 is in the lead 17 previously described and the contact 32is interconnected to the power lead L by lead 37. The contact 33 isinterconnected to the lead 17 by a lead 33'.

The contact 36 is interconnected to a contact 38 of another electricalswitch 39 by a lead 40. The switch 39 includes a movable switch blade 41hinged at a contact 42 and adapted to bridge the contacts 42 and 38, thecontact 42 being interconnected to the power lead L by a lead 43.

The switch blade 41 is interconnected to a pneumatic actuator 44 whichholds the switch blade 41 in the position illustrated in FIGURE 1 tobridge the contacts 41 and 38 when the chamber of the actuator 44 is atatmospheric condition. However, when the chamber of the actuator 44 isevacuated by being interconnected to a vacuum pump or the like, theactuator 44 by an interconnecting means 45 will move the switch blade 41out of contact with the contact 38 for a purpose hereinafter described.

Another electrical switch 46 is provided and includes a switch blade 47adapted to bridge a contact 48 in the lead 43 with the contact 16.However, the switch blade 47 is interconnected by means 49 to apneumatically operated actuator 50 so that when the actuator 50 has itschamber at atmospheric conditions, the actuator 50 holds the switchblade 47 in the open position, as illustrated in FIGURE 1. However, whenthe chamber of the actuator 50 is evacuated, by being interconnected toa vacuum pump or the like, the actuator 50 pulls the switch blade 47 tobridge the contacts 38 and 16 for a purpose hereinafter described.

The power lead L is also interconnected to the contact 38 of the switch39 by a lead 51, the lead 51 having a timer motor 52 disposed therein tocause movement of a main program member 53, FIGURE 3, over a readinghead 54- for a purpose hereinafter described.

A vacuum pump 55 is provided and is placed across the power leads 43 and51 by a lead 56, the vacuum pump 55 having the inlet side 57 thereofinterconnected to the reading head 54 by a flexible conduit means 58 ina manner hereinafter described.

The reading head 54 has a reading surface 5? interrupted by a pluralityof ports 60, 61, 62, '63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 63, 69, 70, and 71, with theports 60, 61, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 69, 70, and 71 being disposed invertical alignment while the port 62 is disposed in horizontal alignmentwith port 61 and the port 68 is disposed in horizontal alignment withthe port 67.

The flexible conduit 58 leading from the inlet 57' of the vacuum pump 55is interconnected to the port 66 of the reading head 54, as well as to aport 72 of a water level control device 73, the water level controldevice 73 also having two other ports 74 and 75. The device 73 has avalve means 76 for fluidly interconnecting the ports 72 and 74 togetherwhen the water level in the washing machine 10 is below a predeterminedlevel. However, when the water level in the washing machine 16 is abovea predetermined level, the means 76 disconnects the port 72 from theport 74 and interconnects the port 75 to the port 74, the port 75 beinginterconnected to the atmosphere.

The port 74 of the water level'control device 73 is interconnected tothe port 63 of the reading head 54 by a flexible conduit means 77.

The program member 53 which moves over the reading surface 59 of thereading head 54 includes a flexible reading sheet 78 having a pluralityof blister means 79 formed therein in a predetermined pattern to bridgevarious ports in the reading head 54 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE2, as those particular blister means 79 pass over the reading head 54.In addition, the reading sheet 78 has a plurality of aperture means 80passing therethrough in a predetermined pattern to be aligned withvarious of the ports in reading head 54 to permit air to enter thosealigned ports in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 2. The reading sheet78 is interconnected to a rigid backing member 81 in any suitable mannerand is spaced therefrom by a porous compressible material 82 whereby airis adapted to enter an aperture means 83 of the backing member 81 and befiltered by the material 82 as the same passes through an aperture means80 f the reading sheet 78 into an aligned port in the reading head 54.

The program member 53 is adapted to move over the reading head 54 at aconstant speed by the timer motor 52 previously described when the timermotor is energized in the manner hereinafter set forth to produce thecycle of operation illustrated in FIGURE 2.

A second reading head 84 is provided and has the reading surface 85thereof interrupted by a plurality of vertically aligned ports 86, 87,88, and 89. A program member 90 is adapted to selectively move over thereading surface 85 of the reading head 84 and has blister means 91, 92,93, 94, and 95 formed therein in the same manner as the blister means 79previously described to bridge certain of the ports in the reading head84 when an indicator 96 of the program member 90 is disposed in aparticular position WH, WW, WC, and CC, as illustrated in FIGURE 1 toselect a water temperature of the water being directed into the washingmachine by a water mixing valve 97.

The water mixing valve 97 has a hot water inlet 98 interconnected to apneumatic actuator 99 by means 100 whereby when the actuator 99 is atatmospheric conditions the actuator 99 closes the hot water inlet 98.However, when the chamber of the actuator 99 is evacuated, the sameopens the inlet 98 to direct water through the water mixing valve 97 tothe outlet 101 thereof. Similarly, the water mixing valve 97 has a coldwater inlet 102 controlled by a pneumatic actuator 103 interconnectedthereto by means 104. Thus, when the actuator 103 is at atmosphericconditions, the same holds the cold water inlet 102 in its closedposition, but when the chamber of the actuator 103 is evacuated, thesame opens the cold water inlet 102.

The port 86 of the reading head 84, and the port 60 of the reading head54 are interconnected to the cham ber of the actuator 103 by flexibleconduit means 105. The port 88 of the reading head 84 is interconnectedto the chamber of the hot water actuator 99 by flexible conduit means106. The port 61 of the reading head 54 is interconnected to the port 87of the reading head 84 by a flexible conduit 107. The port 62 of thereading head 54 is interconnected to the port 89 of the reading head 84by a flexible conduit 108.

The port 64 of the reading head 54 is interconnected to the chamber ofthe actuator 44 by a flexible conduit means 109. Similarly, the port 65of the reading head 54 is interconnected to the chamber of the actuator35 by a flexible conduit means 110. The port 67 of the reading head 54is interconnected to the chamber of the actuator 50 by a flexibleconduit means 111.

The port 68 of the reading head 54 is interconnected to a chamber of anactuator 112 by a flexible conduit 4 means 113, the actuator 112 whenevacuated, opening a switch blade 114 in the line 43 to terminate thecycle of operation of the system 10. However, the switch blade 114 isadapted to be disposed in a closed position by suitable start means 115to start the cycle of operation selected by the program member 53.

The port 69 of the reading head 54 is interconnected to a chamber 116 ofa vacuum regulator 117 by a flexible conduit 118, the vacuum regulatorhaving the chamber 116 thereof also interconnected to the main vacuumline 58 by a vacuum line 118. The vacuum regulator 117 is controlled bya knob 119 whereby the magnitude of the vacuum in the chamber 116 can beautomatically controlled so that the magnitude of vacuum imposed on line118 will be in accordance with that selected by the knob 119, the vacuumregulator 117 selecting the speed of operation of the agitator of thewashing machine 10.

The port of the reading head 54 is interconnected to r a chamber of apneumatic actuator 120 by flexible conduit means 121, the actuator 120controlling the speed of the transmission means for either the agitatoror the washing compartment in relation to the magnitude of vacuumimposed in the chamber thereof.

The port 71 of the reading head 54 is interconnected to a chamber 122 ofanother vaccum regulator 123 by a flexible conduit means 124', thechamber 122 of the regulator 123 also being interconnected to the port74 i of the water level control device 73 by means of a flexible conduitmeans 124 leading to the port 63 of the reading head 54.

The vacuum regulator 123 has a control knob 125 which will select themagnitude of vacuum being imposed on the line 124' to be utilized forcontrolling the spin speed of the washing compartment of the washingmachine 10.

The operation of the system 10 will now be described.

Assuming that the operator desires to do a regular fabrics wash cycle,as illustrated between the 0 minute increment and 34 minute increment ofmovement of the program member 53 as illustrated in FIGURE 2, with a hotwash water temperature and a warm rinse water temperature, the operatormoves the program number so that the indicator 96 thereof points toposition HW whereby the blister 91 thereof bridges the ports 87 and 88for a purpose hereinafter described. Also, the operator selects thedesired agitator speed by the knob 119 and the desired spin speed by theknob 125.

With the program member 53 disposed in the 0 position thereof, theoperator pulls out on the lever to close the switch blade 114 wherebythe vaccum pump 55 and timer motor 52 are placed across the power leadsI L and L because the switches 26, 39, and 46 are disposed 1 in theposition illustrated in FIGURE 1, whereby the program member 59 beginsto move relative to the reading 1 head 54 under the influence of thetimer motor 52.1At

the 0 increment of movement of the program member 1 53, it can be seenthat a wide blister 79A, FIGURE 2,

will simultaneously bridge the ports 61, 62, 63, and 64:

of the reading head 59 and, since the water level in the washing machine10 is below the predetermined level, the control device 73 interconnectsthe vacuum line 58 with the port 74 so that vacuum is at the port 63.With vacuum at the port 63, vacuum is fed from port 61 through line 107to port 87 of the reading head 84 and is interconnected to the port 88by the blister 91, so that the hot Water actuator 99 is evacuated toopen the hot water inlet 98 to direct hot water through the outlet 1010fthe mixing valve 97 into the washing machine.

Since the blister 79A also bridges the ports 63 and 64 of the readinghead 54, vacuum is imposed on the actuator 44 of the switch 39 to openthe switch blade 41 so that current cannot flow fromL to the contact 36of the switch 26.

Also, at the 0 increment of movement of the program member 53, it can beseen that a plurality of vertically aligned blisters 79B serially bridgethe ports 65 and 66 whereby the vacuum at the port 66 is interconnectedto the port 65 and, thus, to the chamber of the actuator 35 through theline 110 whereby the switch blades 27, 28, and 29 are pulled downwardlyin the manner previously described, so that the switch blade 27 bridgesthe contacts 23 and 32 and the switch blades 28 and 29 interconnect thecontact 36 with the contacts 33 and 21.

As long as the switch blade 41 is opened by the actuated actuator 44, nocurrent can run through the starting winding 14 of the motor 11, so thatthe motor 11 is inoperative during the Water filling operation until thewater level has reached a predetermined level in the washing machine 10.

In particular, when the water level in the washing machine reaches apredetermined level, the member 76 of the water level control device 73disconnects the vacuum port 72 from the port 74 and interconnects theatmosphere port 75 with the port 74 whereby atmosphere is nowinterconnected to the port 63 of the reading head 54. Since atmosphereis at the port 63 of the reading head 54, the blister means 79Ainterconnects that atmosphere to the ports 61 and 64 so that theactuators 99 and 44 are interconnected to atmosphere. Since the actuator99 is now interconnected to the atmosphere, the same closed the hotwater inlet 98 so that no more water is fed into the washing machine bythe mixing valve 97.

Similarly, the deactivated actuator 44 causes the switch blade 41thereof to bridge the contacts 42 and 38 so that current from power lineL will flow through line 46', contact 36, switch blade 28, contact 21and line 22 through the starting winding 14 of the motor 11, contact 23,switch blade 27, contact 32 and line 37 to power lead L to cause theoutput shaft 12 of the motor 11 to operate in the proper direction foroperating the agitator of the Washing machine 10.

After the motor 11 has been started by current fiowing through thewinding 14 thereof, the current flowing through the winding 13 continuesto operate the motor 11 even though the centrifugal switch issubsequently opened by the speed of rotation of the output shaft 12. Inparticular, current flows from power lead L through line 40, contact 36,switch blade 29, contact 33, line 33', and line 17 through the winding13 to the line 19 leading to the power lead L It can be seen that themotor 11 is now operated in a manner to cause movement of the agitatorof the washing machine 10 from the time the water level in the washingmachine 10 has reached the predetermined level determined by the waterlevel control 73 until the 14 minute increment of movement of theprogram member 53.

Also, it should be noted that a series of vertical blisters 79C bridgethe ports 69 and 70 to interconnect the controlled vacuum in the line113 with the speed control actuator 120 to cause the transmission meansbeing driven by the motor 11 to operate the agitator at the speedselected by the knob 119.

At the 14 minute increment of movement of the program member 53 relativeto the reading head 54, it can be seen in FIGURE 2 that a suitableaperture 80 of the reading sheet 59 comes into alignment with the port65 of the reading head 54 to permit atmosphere to return to the chamberof the actuator to move the switch blades 27, 28, and 29 back to theposition illustrated in FIGURE 1 to turn off the motor 11 and terminatethe operation of the agitator.

Also, at the 14 minute increment of movement of the program member 53relative to the reading head 54, a series of vertical blisters 79Dbridge the ports 66 and 67 to interconnect the vacuum pump to thechamber of the actuator 50 so that the same pulls the switch blade 47 toclose the contacts 48 and 16 to operate the motor 11 in a manner to spinthe washing compartment of the washing machine.

In particular, current now flows from lead L to line 43, contact 48,switch blade 47, contact 16, line 17, contact 31, switch blade 27,contact 23, line 24, capacitor 25', centrifugal switch 25 and startingwinding 14, lead 22, contact 21, switch blade 28, contact 32 and line 37to power lead L to cause the starting winding 14 to operate the shaft 12in the opposite direction to drive the transmission means which spinsthe washing compartment, the starting winding 14 having the currenttherethrough terminated when the centrifugal switch 25 opens due to thespeed of rotation of the output shaft 12. However, current now flowsthrough the running winding 13 of the motor 11 by means of lead 17 frompower lead L to lead 19 leading to power lead L whereby the motor 11spin the washing compartment as long as the actuator 50 is evacuated.

Simultaneously, it can be seen that other blisters 79E of the programmember 53 are bridging the ports 70 and 71 to interconnect thecontrolled vacuum in line 124 to the speed actuator to cause thetransmission means for the spinning operation to spin the washingcompartment at the speed selected by the control knob 125, vacuum beingdirected to the chamber 122 when the water level control device 73 is inthe full line position illustrated in FIGURE 1 caused by the water inthe washing machine being pumped out below the predetermined level by apump driven by the motor 11 when the output shaft 12 thereof rotates inthe direction to spin the washing compartment.

Therefore, it can be seen that the washing machine 10 is controlled bythe program member 53 in such a manner that the same will provide acycle of operation as illustrated in FIGURE 2 in the above manner, withthe actuators 35, 50, and 44 controlling the motor 11 in such a mannerthat the motor 11 will not operate the agitator of the washing machineuntil the water level in the machine has reached a predetermined level.Further, the control system of this invention will cause the motor 11 tohave the output shaft 12 thereof driven in the proper direction to spinthe washing compartment.

Accordingly, it can be seen that this invention pro- Vides an improvedcontrol system for a washing machine or the like.

While the form of the invention now preferred has been disclosed asrequired by the statutes, other forms may be used, all coming within thescope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. In a washing machine having an agitator and a washing compartment tobe respectively operated by a motor means having an output shaft, theimprovement comprising a first pneumatically operated actuator means forcausing the output shaft of said motor means to rotate in one directionto operate said agitator when said first actuator means receives apneumatic signal, a second pneumatically operated actuator means forcausing the output shaft of said motor means to rotate in the oppositedirection to spin said washing compartment when said second actuatormeans receives a pneumatic signal, a bypass pneumatically operatedactuator means which prevents operation of said motor when said bypassactuator means receives a pneumatic signal even though said firstactuator means is receiving a pneumatic signal, a pneumatic source, andmeans for selectively interconnecting said source to said actuatormeans.

2. In a washing machine as set forth in claim 1, a water level controldevice being adapted to interconnect said source to said bypass actuatormeans when the level of water in said machine is below a predeterminedlevel.

3. In a washing machine as set forth in claim 2, said water levelcontrol device being adapted to interconnect the atmosphere to saidbypass actuator means when the level of water in said machine is abovesaid predetermined level.

4. In a washing machine as set forth in claim 1, said last-named meansincludes a program member.

5. In a washing machine as set forth in claim 1, said pneumatic sourcecomprises a vacuum pump.

6. In a washing machine having an agitator and a wash- 5 ing compartmentto be respectively operated by an electrical motor having an outputshaft, the improvement comprising a first electrical switch, a firstpneumatically operated actuator means for moving said first switch fromone position thereof to another position thereof to cause the outputshaft of said motor to rotate in one direction to operate said agitatorwhen said first actuator means receives a pneumatic signal, a secondelectrical switch, a second pneumatically operated actuator means formoving said second switch from one position thereof to another positionthereof to cause the output shaft of said motor to rotate in theopposite direction to spin said washing compartment when said secondactuator means receives a pneumatic signal, a third electrical switch, athird pneumatically operated actuator means for moving said third switchfrom a first position thereof/ to another position thereof when saidthird actuator means receives a pneumatic signal, said third switchbeing in series with said first switch when said third switch is in saidone position thereof and said first switch is in said other positionthereof whereby said agitator will not operate when said third actuatormeans receives a pneumatic signal even though said first actuator meansis receiving a pneumatic signal, a pneumatic source, and means forselectively interconnecting said source to said actuator means.

7. In a washing machine as set forth in claim 6, said second switchbeing open when in said one position thereof.

8. In a washing machine as set forth in claim 6, said third switch beingopen when in said other position thereof.

'9. In a washing machine as set forth in claim 6, a water level controldevice being adapted to interconnect said source to said third actuatormeans when the level of Water in said machine is below a predeterminedlevel.

10. In a washing machine as set forth in claim 9, said water levelcontrol device being adapted to interconnect the atmosphere to saidthird actuator means when the level of water in said machine is abovesaid predeter-v mined level.

11. In a washing machine asset forth in claim 6, said last named meansincludes a program member.

12. In a washing machine as set forth in claim 6, said pneumatic sourcecomprises a vacuum pump.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,960,856 11/1960 Bauerlein etal. 68-12 3,026,699 3/1962 Rhodes 6823 X 3,048,026 8/1962 Bochan et al.68-12 3,112,630 12/1963 Anderson et al 6812 3,256,692 6/1966 Rice et al.68-12X WILLIAM I. PRICE, Primary Examiner.

1. IN A WASHING MACHINE HAVING AN AGITATOR AND A WASHING COMPARTMENT TOBE RESPECTIVELY OPERATED BY A MOTOR MEANS HAVING AN OUTPUT SHAFT, THEIMPROVEMENT COMPRISING A FIRST PNEUMATICALLY OPERATED ACTUATOR MEANS FORCAUSING THE OUTPUT SHAFT OF SAID MOTOR MEANS TO ROTATE IN ONE DIRECTIONTO OPERATE SAID AGITATOR WHEN SAID FIRST ACTUATOR MEANS RECEIVES APNEUMATIC SIGNAL, A SECOND PNEUMATICALLY OPERATED ACTUATOR MEANS FORCAUSING THE OUTPUT SHAFT OF SAID MOTOR MEANS TO ROTATE IN THE OPPOSITEDIRECTION TO SPIN SAID WASHING COMPARTMENT WHEN SAID SECOND ACTUATORMEANS RECEIVES A PNEUMATIC SIGNALS, A BYPASS PNEUMATICALLY OPERATEDACTUATOR MEANS WHICH PREVENTS OPERATION OF SAID MOTOR WHEN SAID BYPASSACTUATOR MEANS RECEIVES A PNEUMATIC SIGNAL EVEN THOUGH SAID FIRSTACTUATOR MEANS IS RECEIVING A PNEUMATIC SIGNAL, A PNEUMATIC SOURCE, ANDMEANS FOR SELECTIVELY INTERCONNECTING SAID SOURCE TO SAID ACTUATORMEANS.